Justice Minister Yariv Levin Moves to Lower Bar Exam Passing Grade to 55
Justice Minister Yariv Levin decided to publish regulations lowering the passing grade of the June Israel Bar Association exam to 55, aiming to boost the low 42.65% passing rate.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin decided on Monday to publish regulations for public comment that would lower the passing grade for the Israel Bar Association certification exam held last June to 55. If the move is completed, dozens of additional examinees are expected to pass the exam.
The background to the decision is the data from the summer 2026 exam and the desire to bring the passing rate to a level similar to the average of previous exams.
The exam was held on June 23 in Jerusalem, and 2,919 interns took it. In total, 1,245 examinees passed, representing a passing rate of only 42.65%. The average score among all examinees was 56.81.
The exam results also showed significant gaps between educational institutions: among all university graduates who took the exam, the passing rate stood at 78.6%, compared to 35.74% among college graduates. Among immigrants and those who studied abroad, the passing rate was only 5.59%.
Among first-time examinees, 91.82% of Hebrew University graduates passed the exam, 85.71% of Tel Aviv University graduates, and 82.61% of University of Haifa graduates. On the other hand, among first-time examinees from Ono Academic College, the passing rate was 42.21%, and at Sha'arei Mishpat College, it was 33.33%.
Now, Minister Levin seeks to change the passing threshold for the exam that has already been conducted. The regulations will first be published for public comment, and if the process is finalized, dozens of examinees who failed the June exam will be retroactively certified.
